THE MYTH OF MEDUSA (GREEK MYTHOLOGY)

Medusa is the daughter of Phorcys and Ceto. She lives with her two sisters, Sthenno and Euryale, in the Temple of Athena in Athens. Of the three sisters, only Medusa is mortal.

Medusa, a beautiful woman who has never married or had any relationships, is content with her life in Athena's Temple, living like a nun. She does not care much about her beauty anyway. But her beauty attracts the attention of even the Goddesses. One of these Goddesses is Athena, the Goddess of Intelligence, Zeus' favourite daughter. The goddess does not care much about this because she finds herself much more intelligent and beautiful. However, over time, Athena begins to feel uneasy about the attention Medusa receives.

Poseidon, the God of Seas and Earthquakes, son of Kronos and Rheia, is portrayed in different myths as either Athena's husband or her worst enemy. In one myth where they are rivals, Athena and Poseidon compete to become the protector of the city of Athens. To settle the dispute, a competition is organized, with the winner being the one who can offer the greatest benefit to the city.

On the day of the contest, Poseidon strikes the rocks with his spear, causing salt water to spring forth. In response, Athena strikes the ground and an olive tree grows. The people find the olive tree more beneficial, so Athena is chosen as the city's protector.

Poseidon cannot accept defeat. And he starts to approach Medusa, whom he has already started to feel something at first sight, with the ambition of revenge. Medusa rejects him repeatedly. However, Poseidon's obsession grows, and one day, he forcibly possesses Medusa on the steps of Athena's Temple.

Let's talk about another legend that tells that they were husband and wife. In this narrative, Poseidon is interested in Medusa, who lives in his wife's temple, like everyone else, and this interest increases as time passes. However, knowing that Medusa is mortal, Poseidon fears that his attraction to her would bring him scorn and disapproval if it were discovered. Therefore, he hides his feelings for her for a long time. Despite his efforts to conceal his passion, the chief god Zeus becomes aware of Poseidon's desire for Medusa.

One day, Athena learns of Poseidon's feelings for Medusa, with the permission of the all-knowing god Zeus. Poseidon strongly rejects this and swears to Athena that there is no creature more beautiful than her. The goddess believes these words and does not make a big deal out of it.

Contrary to what he says, Poseidon goes out of his mind because of his passion for Medusa. Overwhelmed by his desire, he eventually loses control and forcibly has sex with Medusa in Athena's temple. Medusa, the beauty of the world, continues to stay in the temple in a miserable way, but it does not take much time for Athena to hear about this incident.

The legends are similar from here on. Athena, feels deeply humiliated by the incident. This feeling first turns into jealousy and then into a great anger. She decides to punish Medusa very severely. Athena curses Medusa, stripping her of her beauty and turning each strand of her hair into a venomous snake. Medusa is transformed into a Gorgon, a creature so terrifying that anyone who looks directly at her is turned to stone. Following this curse, Medusa and her sisters are exiled to Hyperborea, the northernmost and most remote region of the world.

Athena is still not satisfied with the curse she placed on Medusa. She decides to kill Medusa. She enlists the help of Perseus, the son of Danae and Zeus, making him her ally in this mission. Perseus, who is also Athena's half-brother, agrees to this task.

Equipped with gifts from the gods—a helmet of invisibility from Hades, a magical sword from Hephaestus, and winged sandals from Hermes—Perseus sets off on his dangerous mission. When he finally finds Medusa and her sisters asleep, Perseus stealthily approaches, using the helmet to remain unseen. With a swift motion, he uses the magical sword to sever Medusa's head from her body, completing Athena's vengeful plan.

From Medusa’s headless body, which is pregnant by Poseidon, the winged horse Pegasus and the giant Khrysaor are born. These offspring, seeking to avenge their mother, pursue Perseus. However, he manages to evade them using the invisibility helmet given to him by Hades.

Perseus takes Medusa's severed head and joins the battles. Those who see her head turn to stone and Perseus wins all the battles. Then he presents Medusa's head to Athena. Athena places this head on her legendary shield as a protective power that destroys her enemies. Medusa’s children, Pegasus and Khrysaor, become servants of Athena and Bellerophon, further cementing Medusa's tragic fate in the annals of mythology.

After her death, Medusa’s story takes on a different dimension. Despite being branded as a monster, her severed head becomes a powerful symbol of protection. Medusa’s head, blood, and snake-like hair are used as amulets and charms to ward off evil. The name "Medusa" itself derives from an ancient Greek verb meaning "to protect," reflecting her enduring association with guarding against malevolent forces.